Chapter 3: letting go

Lisa silently turned to walk away but stopped when her name was called. 

“Lisa…?” Nathan called. She stopped, sighed, and turned around with an awkward smile. 

"Nathan, hey,” she greeted with a wave of her hand. 

“Were you leaving just now? I mean, are you trying to sneak off?” Nathan asked.

"Yes, I was...” she replied truthfully. “Didn’t you see us?” He asked, gesturing more at Trey, making Lisa frown.

“If I had known it was you guys earlier, I wouldn’t have approached.” Lisa sneered. The moment she said that, Trey turned to look at her; his gaze was dark and icy, and it immediately sent a shiver down her spine. She shuddered. 

Nathan frowned in confusion. He turned to Trey for clarification but then noticed Trey’s demeanor towards Lisa. He then realized there must be some misunderstanding between them, so he decided to help resolve whatever dispute there was between them. 

“Sit with us, Lisa?” He asked. However, Lisa shook her head, smiled, then said. 

“Thanks, Nathan, but there are some situations I’d rather avoid.” She smiled. 

“What’s going on, Trey?” Kelvin finally asked after observing Trey and Lisa’s love quarrels for a while, but he didn’t get a response. He turns to Lisa with a questioning gaze, but all he got was silence.

“Whatever you want to know, you asked your dear friend Trey. Nice seeing you both, Nathan, and Kelvin.” She said, emphasizing the ‘you both’. She then turned to leave; even though she acted daring just now, she inwardly wished Trey would call her back, pull her into his arms, and whisper into her ear that all that had happened in the past few days was nothing but a prank. How much she’d hoped it was so. But who was she trying to fool? However, upon taking a few steps further, Trey’s voice halted her. 

“Lisa!” Her heart skipped a beat when she heard Trey’s powerful but husky voice calling her, a satisfying smile gracing her lips. She was pleased. ‘I was right all along,’ she thought, marveling. She turned around and responded, beaming. Her cheeks are a crimson red. Trey stared at her blushed cheeks, and at that moment, he realized how fascinating and beautiful she was. 

“Yes?” She replied softly.

“You have 5 days left to sign the papers and..." He was cut off by Lisa before he could finish his sentence. Her smile faded. ‘Damn bastard,’ Lisa swore inwardly.

“I’ve already signed it, and I marked out the alimony. I don’t need your money, Trey. I married you not because of your money,” she sighed. “I married you because I love you.”

“I don’t love you, Lisa,” Trey said through gritted teeth. Lisa bit her cheek not to show how hurtful his words were. 

“Same here; I used to love you, but I don’t anymore; all I feel for you is pure hatred and nothing else.” She smirked, then walked away. 

~~~ 

Lisa sighed heavily when she entered her car; she had to bite her cheeks to not break down in front of Trey and his friends. Now her mouth is filled with a rusty metallic taste. She repeatedly hit on her steering wheel as she cried and cursed, tears running down her cheeks. 

“Damn you, Trey. Damn you. I hate you. I hate you.” She yelled. A few minutes later, she wipes her tears off and reapplies her makeup. She drove to her workplace and resigned. From there, she went to her uncle’s mansion to bid them farewell. When she arrived at the mansion, nanny Rose hurriedly came and hugged her.

“My child I miss you very much. How have you been? You’ve grown into a beautiful woman, just like your mom.” 

“I miss you too, Nanny; how have you been?” Lisa asked, happy to see her nanny after 3 years of separation. Nanny Rose has been working for the Lynn family since Lisa’s mom’s childhood. Nanny Rose took care of Lisa’s mom and uncle and continued with her and Valerie. Nanny Rose and her uncle were the only people to treat her well when she was living with the family.

“I’ve been doing well; are you here to meet your uncle?” she asked, 

“Yes, is he home?” Lisa asked. 

“Yes, he’s in his study.” Nanny Rose said. As they walked towards the study, then a voice spoke. 

“What is this bad luck doing here?” Aunt Mary asked with a scoff. 

“Nice to see you too, aunt.” Lisa sneered.

“Oh, she now talks back?” Aunt Mary asked sarcastically, her inside burning with rage. 

"Aunt I’m sorry, but I have important matters to attend to; if you don’t mind, I'll excuse myself first,” Lisa said, walking away before her aunt could reply. Aunt Mary stood there, vexed, her head about to explode from rage, and Lisa walked out on her. ‘How dare that brat? I’ll make sure she never forgets disrespecting me today.’ She made a mental note to teach Lisa a lesson. 

 

Lisa knocked on the door to her uncle’s study and was asked to come in. When she entered, her uncle's face instantly brightened up. 

“Oh, Lisa,“ he said, standing up, coming around his desk, and drawing Lisa into his embrace. He was very happy to see her. He feels sorry for her; he owes Lisa. Even though he tried to make her life good, growing up as an orphan, he failed her by choosing his own daughter’s happiness over Lisa’s. He knows his sister will be very disappointed in him wherever she is. “Uncle Maxwell,” Lisa said, hugging him back, “I’ve missed you a lot.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Uncle Max said, breaking the hug. Lisa's family never knew about her marriage to Trey. On the day Trey proposed, he demanded they have a civil marriage at the city hall, so they only got a certificate. 

Trey's family and friends were the only ones who knew about their marriage. Wherever Lisa asked Trey to meet her family, he always gave her different excuses. 

“How have you been? You look thin; do you eat on time? Or is your boyfriend giving you problems? You have one, right?” Uncle Maxwell asked countless questions in a row, making Lisa smile, not knowing which to answer first. After catching up with her uncle for a while, she told him. 

“Uncle Max, I came today to bid you farewell; I’m leaving tomorrow,” she explained. 

“Why? Are you in any sort of trouble?” Uncle Maxwell asked in a concerned tone. 

"No, uncle, I just want to go and discover another culture,” she lied. 

“Okay then, where are you leaving to?” Uncle Maxwell asked. 

“Windy bay in country B,” Lisa answered.

“Oh, okay, I have a colleague friend in Windy Bay City; I will let him arrange a place for your stay.” He said. Lisa was extremely touched by her uncle’s help. 

“Thank you very much; it means a lot.” She hugs him, a tear escaping down her cheek. 

“You are welcome, dear. I will send you his contact info; you call him once you arrive.” 

 

*** 

A day earlier.

Trey walked to his car, annoyed, after handing the divorce papers to Lisa. He couldn’t believe the nerve of Lisa; how dare she think he married her out of love? he scoffed.

‘He's Trey Collins, a business tycoon and king of the underworld. People tremble in fear at his sight. How dare she, who had the guts to bully him when he was young, think he could ever have feelings for her?’ He laughed. He bet when she finds out she was just a pawn to him, it would break her, and that would be the perfect revenge for him. 

He stepped on the gas and drove to the old mansion. 

Trey started to work as a mafia at an early age. Flashback to 10 years ago: Old Master Collins, a grandfather he never heard of, came to visit. There were huge men in black suits and dark shades standing along the sides of the latest model of Rolls Royce, parked in a line. 

Trey, who was 14 years old at that time, was standing in his room watching the situation outside from his window. He decided to go downstairs to find out what was happening and happened to eavesdrop on his parents and grandfather’s conversation.

“How dare you hide my grandson away from me?” Old Master Collins roared. 

“He’s my son, dad; I decide what to do with him.” Mr. Elijah, Trey’s father, retorted with the same intensity as his dad. 

“Trey belongs to me, and you know that; that’s why you’ve been hiding him from me since his birth." Master Collins said angrily. He has been searching for his son and grandson for the past 14 years. 

Elijah decided not to let his child join the family business because of its dangerous lifestyle, filled with violence and crimes; their family comes from generations of mafias. They are the leaders of the underworld in country A. 

All their mafia backgrounds were hidden and covered with their business world. He eloped with his family to live a normal life, clean of blood. Elijah changed his last name so his father would not be able to find them and come for Trey. He never thought his father would not give up on his search for them after 14 years.

“Our family business has been there for generations; I bent the rules because you’re my son; I agreed when you said you wouldn’t want to work in the underworld, and that too, with a condition that your son would take over after me, and you agreed!” Old Master Collins yelled. 

“I won’t let you take my son; I agreed back then because I just wanted out.” Elijah retorted.

“I’m not asking you; I’m taking him home to start with his training. You’re welcome to join us.” With that, he gestured to his men, and they started to search the house. Elijah and his wife tried to stop the men, but they were no match for him and his wife. Trey, after realizing he was the person in question, tiptoed back to his room and locked his door. 

After searching all the opened rooms, the men found out Trey was in the locked room and went to report to the Old Master. He walked up the stairs with the support of his walking stick and knocked gently on Trey’s door. 

“Child, please open the door; grandfather would like to meet you.” He calmly said. “I have been waiting for so long to meet you; come on, open the door, and meet Grandfather.” Just then Trey opened the door and walked out to meet his grandfather.

They left for the old Collins mansion in country A on a private jet. His training started the very next day. He was taught both the traits of the business world and the mafia world. 

Life wasn’t easy for him since his training involved pulling triggers, killing, escaping traps, and seducing women. At the age of 17, he became the boss of the underworld. He also became the youngest CEO in country A. 

At 19, he had achieved countless goals in the business world and has defeated many enemies in the underworld. He was a ruthless, domineering, and powerful CEO in the business world and a ruthlessly merciless man who wouldn’t blink at the idea of murder, torture, and making one disappear from the face of the earth without a trace in the underworld. 

Every lady in Pearl City dreams to become his wife, even if just his whore, but is also terrified of him by his powerful and deadly aura.